What's Wrong With The World?

Finding "The Prodigal God" by Tim Keller (http://www.theprodigalgod.com/) to be a convicting and enjoyable read.

Keller writes the following on page 46:

"When a newspaper posed the question, 'What's Wrong With The World?' the Catholic thinker G.K. Chesterton reputedly wrote a brief letter in response: 'Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G.K. Chesterton.' That is the attitude of someone who has grasped the message of Jesus."

The same question is as relevant today as it was in Chesterton's day (circa early 1900's). I know that I am quick to point blame at Wall Street and Washington D.C., but I reflect on the fact that I have the same seeds of greed and power in my sinful nature. My sin nature is my both my most basic and my most devastating problem - and this problem is the same for all of mankind.

I am still reading the book, and can already see it and the Word of God reshaping the way I think about the prodigal son, his older brother and the father. Hope you take the opportunity to read it too.

Does the Internet promote servant leadership?

Was reading a Wall Street Journal blog post (http://ow.ly/1uSd) that an acquaintance [http://twitter.com/isaacw]forwarded via Twitter and came across this quote within...

"4. Leaders serve rather than preside.
On the Web, every leader is a servant leader; no one has the power to command or sanction. Credible arguments, demonstrated expertise and selfless behavior are the only levers for getting things done through other people. Forget this online, and your followers will soon abandon you."

The context of this article is the expectations of the current "Facebook generation" as they enter the world of the Fortune 500, and what these "FB-gen" employees might expect from leadership. The correlation to biblical servant leadership is eerily close, isn't it? It is certainly not an exact 1:1 comparison, but interesting nonetheless.

Diligence vs Forgetfulness

Reading in Deuteronomy 4 this morning as part of the ESV Daily Reading plan (http://ow.ly/1oYz).

God inspired Moses to write the following statements:

"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget..."
"Therefore watch yourselves very carefully"
"Take care, lest you forget"

"He (God) will not leave you or destroy you or forget..."

As God instructed His people through Moses, His knowledge of their tendiencies (and ours) is to forget. We forget the great things HE has done on our behalf - many times because we become focused on the miniscule things that WE are doing on our behalf.

I give myself way too much credit for successes, and place far too much blame on others for my struggles. God says clearly in Deuteronomy 4 that we MUST reflect constantly on the grace and mercy that He has bestowed on us. We are to diligently remember who God is and what glorifies Him.

Convicting Lesson

Worked through a study guide last night on Mark 12:28-34. Verses 30-31 in the ESV: "and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength... You shall love your neighbor as yourself"

The verse of the day from the ESV was from Luke 6. "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." So hard to do, yet it is clearly commanded in Scripture. I know that God can supply the strength to do it if I seek Him for it.

The point of miracles

Reading a bit more of Tim Keller's "The Reason for God" tonight...

Page 95: "Jesus' miracles in particular were never magic tricks, designed only to impress and coerce. You never see Him say something like: 'See that tree over there? Watch me make it burst into flames!' Instead, He used miraculous power to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and raise the dead."

As we studied at Second Mile on Sunday, the Christian life is not about ourselves - it is about others. Christ Himself, the perfect example, didn't use miracles to draw attention to Himself - He used miracles in a spirit of service to others, bringing glory to the Father.

Reflecting on Ephesians 6

After hearing the testimony of Bru.ce Gilm.ore last weekend at Second Mile Church, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the section in Ephesians 6 on the "armor of God."

The most impactful reminder of this passage is that we are instructed to "put on" the armor, but are never told to take it off. The Christian life is an ongoing battle, from salvation until glorification.

More on this to come...